Houssam El Zein
Case Studies

Selected work, shown in full.

16 case studies
Overhead still of Arabic calligraphy sketches during development of the CCQ identity
Community College of Qatar · Brand Strategy

Reframing access as ambition

How Community College of Qatar built a brand that reflected its growing academic role, national purpose and value to students.

Read case study
HBKU headquarters in Education City
Hamad Bin Khalifa University · Brand Strategy

Turning Independent Institutes into One University

How HBKU brought independent colleges and national research institutes together under one university brand, connecting postgraduate education, applied research and national priorities.

Read case study
HBKU College of Humanities and Social Sciences building
Hamad Bin Khalifa University · Crisis Communications

Learning Never Stops

How HBKU turned pandemic continuity into a visible communications system that kept its community informed, learning active and research expertise useful to Qatar.

Read case study
Interview still from the HBKU and edX partnership launch at HBKU
Hamad Bin Khalifa University · Online Learning

Opening Qatar’s Research Expertise to the World

How HBKU turned a regional-first edX partnership into a global learner-acquisition platform for research, professional education and institutional reach.

Read case study
Students on the HBKU campus
Hamad Bin Khalifa University · Crisis & Reputation

Building Crisis Readiness Into HBKU

How HBKU replaced fragmented crisis response with a practical operating framework for faster decisions, coordinated communications and stronger institutional trust.

Read case study
H.E. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, at Hamad Bin Khalifa University
Hamad Bin Khalifa University · Events & Advocacy

High profile lectures and distinguished speakers

Marketing and communications for more than 100 high profile lectures, bringing globally significant and sensitive topics to a university audience.

Read case study
Qatar Biomedical Research Institute laboratory work
Hamad Bin Khalifa University · Research Communications

Building One Research Voice Across HBKU

How HBKU created one coherent research narrative without absorbing the distinct scientific identity and credibility of its three national research institutes.

Read case study
Researchers collaborating, used across the Arab Global Scholars campaign
Hamad Bin Khalifa University · Research Community

Building a Digital Home for the Arab Scientific Renaissance

How a historic network of Arab scholars became a credible platform for reconnecting global expertise with the region's research ambitions.

Read case study
Study at HBKU campus imagery
Hamad Bin Khalifa University · Enrollment Marketing

Building an Enrollment Engine for a New Research University

How HBKU built one university-wide enrollment system that could recruit for six colleges and more than 40 programs while strengthening the institutional brand.

Read case study
His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser at the anniversary
Hamad Bin Khalifa University · Institutional Milestone

HBKU 10th anniversary

A milestone celebration in education and research, marking ten years of a homegrown institution built to develop Qatar's intellectual capacity.

Read case study
Commercial Bank of Qatar rebrand applied across the bank
Commercial Bank of Qatar · Brand Transformation

Repositioning Commercial Bank for a Digital Generation

How Qatar's first private-sector bank translated its entrepreneurial heritage into a modern brand built for digital growth and a new generation of customers.

Read case study
Commercial Bank ATM lobby with a backlit blue brand wall and a FlyMiles travel offer on screen
Commercial Bank of Qatar · Communications Strategy

Making Everything Is Possible Commercial

How Commercial Bank turned an aspirational brand promise into a customer-led platform connecting personal ambition with products, services and the full banking journey.

Read case study
Cbq website showcasing the Manchester United campaign
Commercial Bank of Qatar · Partnership Campaign

Manchester United credit card campaign

The launch campaign for the Commercial Bank of Qatar and Manchester United credit card, under a five year exclusive partnership with the club.

Read case study
Road map for a marketing communications plan
Selected practice · Strategy

Marketing communications strategy

A selected view of the strategy practice: translating organizational objectives into marketing communications output that decision-makers can act on.

Read case study
Doha Youth Forum 2015 poster
Qatar Foundation and UNODC · Youth Participation

Giving Youth a Seat at the UN Table

Turned youth participation from a symbolic presence at a UN congress into a formal contribution to global policy on crime prevention and criminal justice.

Read case study
Commercial Bank of Qatar internal communications channel design
Commercial Bank of Qatar · Internal Communications

Internal communications strategy

A strategic blueprint for employee engagement and organizational alignment at Commercial Bank of Qatar, built in the wake of global financial crises and the rise of digital banking.

Read case study